The Karachi police have rearrested a suspect in the rape and murder of a 10-year-old girl after forensic reports confirmed that he raped her.

The report also tied another suspect in custody to the case, as it confirmed that the DNA found under her fingernails belonged to him.

The girl went missing from her home in Karachi’s Bin Qasim at around 5pm on February 28 and her body was found by her family at an apartment in Railway Colony on March 1.

Her body was taken to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre by the Bin Qasim police where a medico-legal officer confirmed the rape. The officer said the girl had been raped for five to six hours by multiple men and two distinct DNA samples were found.

The police initially detained 22 suspects on March 2, including the main accused and co-accused in the case. Ayaz Ali, a rickshaw driver, has been declared the main accused as his DNA samples matched the rapist’s while Farhan, a station master’s son, has been declared a co-accused due to the DNA found under his fingernails. A neighbour had told the police that they saw the girl with Ayaz and Farhan, both of whom lived nearby.

They later let Ayaz and 18 other suspects go due to lack of evidence.

The police sent the DNA samples for forensic testing to the Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences in Jamshoro on March 15. After receiving the results, they re-arrested Ayaz.

During interrogation, the police say Farhan confessed to raping and murdering the girl. He said he made a deal with Ayaz, who often took the child to school in his rickshaw, to take her to a secluded place so that he could rape her.

However, while the police are now able to tie Farhan to the scene, the forensic report said that his DNA did not match the other rapist’s.

The police will now submit the report and their findings to the court.